42nd NSRA Louisville Nationals - Five Decades And Counting

From the January, 2012 issue of Street Rodder

By Brian Brennan

Photography by Eric Geisert

Louisville Nats

The NSRA Nats is 42 years old and growing

The National Street Rod Association Street Rod Nationals Plus celebrated its 42nd annual gathering of street rods for the seventeenth time in Louisville, Kentucky, and for the second time inviting “younger” hot rods well past the traditional cutoff date of 1948. There’s no denying that today’s hot rod has taken on a different appearance. All the while there’s no denying that the NSRA Plus events are adapting to the changing landscape of street rodding, which is good for rodders, manufacturers, fans, and, of course, the NSRA.

This year’s gathering in “Looville” produced the reoccurring staggering number of street rods at 10,004 cars supporting 345 vendors and viewed by 70,000 spectators over the four-day venue. The vendors reside within the Kentucky Exposition Center a modern state-of-the-art exhibit building with great air conditioning—something one appreciates while in Louisville in August.

Because of the Nats history, there are many old friends who we reacquaint ourselves with each year. For instance, the Memphis Street Rods represent the senior service club having worked the Nats for 41 years. There’s the Michigan Hot Rod Association in its 40th year supplying the Rod Repair Shop, which has become a most welcome “port in a storm” for many a rodder. There were 42 clubs volunteering their time to make the event that much more enjoyable for the rest of us, and that includes this year’s two newest additions in the Christian Classic Cruisers of Arlington, Texas, and the North County Street Rodders of Petoskey, Michigan. Speaking of club participation, how about the Long Distance Club Award going to the Sedan Deliveries Limited with 14 members driving a combined 9,224 miles.

While we know about the Rod Repair Service there were a number of other rodder friendly services, should you have found yourself in need. There was Powermaster Testing to check for electrical woes, NSRA Safety Inspection to give your street rod a once over to alert you of pending problems, and People Mover Trams to get you around the expansive grounds (we found this to be a great way to move about and save on the ol’ shoe leather).

Something every rodder attending the Nats should take in is the New Products display in its 34th year. There are literally dozens upon dozens of newly created products that rodders can use. Everything from inexpensive to complete sheetmetal bodies that will allow a rodder to upgrade, finish, or begin a new project. (Look at this month’s Window Shopper column, page 20, to see a varied selection of product directly from the Nats New Product section.)

There’s plenty more to see besides the hundreds of vendors, such as the Builder’s Showcase in the Grand and South Wing lobbies, the Pro’s Pick (12 cars selected) sponsored by Classic Instruments, and other specialty awards like the Long Distance (U.S.) and Long Distance (outside the U.S.) as well as rodding personalities Darryl Starbird and Charley Hutton signing autographs. Another popular award is the PPG Outstanding Use of Color where you can see what creative ways a Street Rodder can paint his ride.

Did we mention a vintage parts swap meet? The Nats and accompanying swap meet is a tradition that goes back to the earliest days in Peoria. Everything from the smallest of hardware to ready-to-go projects are all present for picking up and taking home while attending the Nats.

Had you found yourself in a learning mode (and want to take a respite from the heat) there were technical seminars Thursday through Saturday covering multiple topics. Companies such as Vintage Air, Inland Empire Driveline, and RideTech held Thursday seminars giving much in the way of the basic knowledge required to build your own hot rod. Others such as Billet Specialties, Watson’s StreetWorks, Street & Performance, Advanced Plating, and Meguiar’s were also on hand to provide rodders with the type of useful information that allows each of us to build our own ride.

What did we see? For those who couldn’t make the Nats the first question is, “What kind of cars or build styles were at the Nats?” Being the second year of the expanded format that allows later model cars, there were plenty of examples of muscle cars, street machines, street crusiers, and loads of classic trucks. There’s no denying the popularity of the Tri-Five Chevy, Camaros, and the build style gaining greatly in popularity, the gasser look. Whether it is a straight-axle or lifted A-arm car, the gasser is growing in popularity.

You should be warned, if you don’t enjoy street rods of all years, makes, models, colors, and build styles it would be best to stay away from the Kentucky Exposition Center. On the other hand, should you find yourself “jonesing” for a street rod overdose (the good kind), then work your way to Kentucky next summer. It’s tradition for the Nats to be held there the first week of August. You’ve been forewarned.